Your doctor will want to know if you or anyone in your familyhas had any of these conditions: pregnancy, tuberculosis, nervoussystem disease, breast cancer, benign cystic disease, alcoholism, liverdisease.

Your doctor will want to know if you’re taking any of these med-ications: oral contraceptives, digoxin, phenothiazines such as Haldol, spironolactone (Aldactone), diphenylhydantoin (Dilantin),cimetidine (Tagamet).

Your doctor will do a physical examination including the fol-lowing: thorough breast exam, checking lymph nodes under yourarms, and, in males, checking testes for size and firmness.

WHAT CAN CAUSE BREAST PROBLEMS, AND WHAT IS TYPICAL FOR EACH CAUSE?

Breast Enlargement

Cause: PubertyWhat is it: Period of becoming sexually mature, or capable of reproducingTypcal sypmyoms: Enlargement of one or both breasts, common and normal in male and female adolescents

Cause: Testicular cancerWhat is it: An abnormal growth of cells in the testiclesTypcal sypmyoms: Breast enlargement in adult men, firm mass in the testicles

Lumps or Masses

Cause: Cystic mastitisWhat is it: Fluid-filled sacs in the breastTypcal sypmyoms: Lumps in the breast, usually becoming painful beforeeach menstrual period

Cause: CancerWhat is it: An abnormal growth of cells in the breastTypcal sypmyoms: Family history of breast cancer, lump with an illdefined border, sometimeswith dimpling of the overlying skin

Breast Pain

Cause: Hormonal engorgementWhat is it: Swelling of breast tissue in response to hormonal changesTypcal sypmyoms: Pain or tenderness in early pregnancy or during certain phases of menstrualcycle, pain sometimesaggravated by oral contraceptives

Cause: MastitisWhat is it: Inflammation in the breast, often caused byan infectionTypcal sypmyoms: Fever, tender and swollen breasts, discharge, more common among nursingwomen

Nipple Discharge

Cause: CancerWhat is it: An abnormal growth of cells in the breastTypcal sypmyoms: Itching, scaling, discharge (which may includeblood), lumps in the breastand under the armpits;later in the disease, theskin may become affected

Cause: PhenothiazinesWhat is it: Use of drugs such as HaldolTypcal sypmyoms: Clear or white discharge from the nipples

Cause: PubertyWhat is it: Part of normal development, in the early teensTypcal sypmyoms: Clear or white discharge from the nipples